


Deceit

by sapphberries



Series: Contemplation [2]
Category: Harley Quinn (Comics)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Denial, F/F, Implied Violence and Sexual Content, Manipulation, but nothing explicit, lying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-20 23:47:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13728585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphberries/pseuds/sapphberries
Summary: Harley ponders. She doesn’t like what she finds.





	Deceit

**Author's Note:**

> Set some time within the events of Wrath.

She isn’t stupid, but most of the time it’s easier to lie.

Something about being a smiley, blue-eyed, blonde makes people assume you’re stupid, or at least incompetent. She’d noticed that a long time ago, and it had never really gone away, especially not now that she’s known for being that crazy chick who dresses like a clown and lets Joker beat her up. She doesn’t really mind though. There's always a tactical advantage to being underestimated, and Harley knows it.

Mostly though, it’s just easier to pretend, and he likes it, so why not?

Ivy’s different. She won’t forget that Harley is smart, no matter how much Harley plays up the ditz. She’ll just raise her eyebrows and turn away, continuing to explain the plan for their latest heist without any simplification, because she knows Harley will keep up.

It’s not like she's judging her— well, it is a bit like that. Ivy would never downplay her intelligence to get what she wants, and Harley’s sure she finds her own actions somewhat degrading— but mostly she’s just got high expectations, because she knows Harley can be better.

She makes it harder to lie, and it's exhausting.

Then again, Harley muses, Ivy must have forgotten recently. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so obvious.

Like, super duper obvious…

“He’s a piece of shit, you know that?” Ivy would say, as she dresses Harley’s wounds for the umpteenth time, and Harley would hear the hint of jealousy behind the concern.

There are lots of things like that, little shifts in Ivy’s personality whenever they’re together. Tiny little smiles, hands gently lain on her shoulders or face. Ivy’s actually a big softie, but only for her.

Harley see’s all of this, and makes a note in her mind, but doesn’t dwell on it too much. She’s too busy defending the Joker to really analyze the situation. What does Ivy know? Her Puddin’ is plenty nice, and he loves her, really.

Lying is simpler than being smart, less work.

She’s only been home a week before he’s beaten her down again. She lays on the concrete floor of the abandoned warehouse, watching little specks of dust swirling in the light filtering through the boarded up windows. She prods herself in the side, _Ow_ , and then again a little lower down, _Shit_.

She’ll have to go to Ivy. This probably isn’t life threatening... yet, but it needs attention, attention she’s not likely to get from her present company. She limps to Ivy’s house, the little cabin in the woods this time, and knocks at the door. When Ivy emerges she’s angry at first but melts almost immediately.

Harley see’s the way Ivy’s eyes soften as soon as her injuries are in full view. She feels her fingers on the cuts, more gentle than they need to be. She hears the little sigh as Ivy stands and makes her way towards the door of the bathroom, a t-shirt neatly folded on the counter for her to wear overnight.

Maybe it wouldn’t be as obvious to anyone else, but she knows Ivy, knows her better than probably anyone else.

“Thanks Red.” Harley says, and she watches Ivy pause in the doorway for a split second, before closing it all the way.

Ivy loves her, no doubt about it.

Harley isn’t entirely sure what she’s supposed to do with that information. She already has a boyfriend, and she doesn’t like Ivy _like that._

Well, of course she thinks Ivy is pretty— Okay, understatement— Ivy is possibly the most beautiful woman on the fucking planet. You'd have to be blind to not have _a bit_ of a crush. The fact that Harley keeps staring at her boobs means NOTHING! Really!

Nothing.

She lays awake, watching the tiny specks of dust that drift in the light of Ivy’s lamp, listening to the slow, contented breathing of the woman beside her. It had been Harley who’d originally asked if they could share the bed, and Ivy had said yes a little too quickly.

Ivy wakes up early, before Harley manages to get to sleep. She feels warm fingers lightly brush against her cheek.

Harley considers what to do next.

She starts to test Ivy, exploring the extent of her feelings for her. A few tipped over plants, some extra requests when they're out. It turns out there’s pretty much nothing Ivy won’t forgive, nothing she won’t do for her, provided Harley bats her eyelashes, pouts, or maybe gives her a hug. It’s satisfying in a messed up way. Everyone assumes that she’s the one following Ivy around, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

She sort of hates herself. She's used to doing this sort of thing, but with Pam it just feels unfair.

It also feels great.

“Red, I’m booored.” She says one day. Ivy doesn’t look up.

“Entertain yourself then.”

“Mmm, okay...”

“Harley, what are you-”

She cuts Ivy off by smashing their lips together.

She’s vaguely aware how utterly fucked up of her this is, but she ignores it for the moment, ‘cause kissing Ivy really does feel great, really great. Like, better than kissing Joker has felt in months, and, as Ivy's arms wrap around her, she's not sure she's ever felt so much before.

Things escalate quickly, as Harley thought they would. She knows Ivy's been waiting for this for a long time, and Harley is not going to complain.

Definitely not.

Harley wakes up first the next morning. Pam is as beautiful as ever, tangled in the blankets, still naked, one arm outstretched to where Harley had been laying. She's smiling, and Harley hates herself a little bit as she gently closes the bedroom door, and slips away.

But only a little.

The next time Harley sees her, Ivy is livid, and Harley knows she deserves it.

She also knows that Ivy will never be able to stay mad at her for very long, and she knows exactly how to speed up that process.

She approaches her slowly, eyes wide, until she's right in front of her. She pulls her into a hug, heaving a few dry sobs.

“Red,” She chokes in Ivy's ear, “I've missed you so much.”

And that's all it takes.

Ivy brings her home again. She grumbles slightly when Harley knocks over another plant on the way in, but that’s it. Harley's hurt again, he hurt her again, so Ivy fixes her up before throwing her the t-shirt she left behind last time and leaving the room. Harley stares at the door for a few seconds, and crawls into bed. The sheets smell like freshness, like the woods, like Ivy.

She really did miss her.

She's with Ivy for another month. Eventually, she starts talking to her again, and then doing a whole lot more than talking.

She can feel Ivy's eyes on the back of her head sometimes. She’s watching for some sign that she’s changing, getting better. She knows she’s smart, knows that she has to know how fucked up he is, even as Harley continues to defend him.

What Harley does know is that Pam loves her, and it's hard, because deep down Harley knows that love shouldn’t be about how much pain you can take, and that’s all she’ll ever be able to give her. She lets Ivy hold her all through the nights, and she's scared when it hits her that she’s never felt so safe.

She's stopped testing her now, 'cause it makes her feel bad, but she knows that Ivy would do just about anything for her. She's been feeling so small for so long, so out of control, and having Poison Ivy under her foot is satisfying in a twisted way.

But it's not just that.

 _It is just that_ , She tells herself, _you're a fucked up piece of shit who's just using her ‘cause you feel lonely._

The dust is swirling above Ivy’s sleeping face, golden specks of light dancing back and forth as her eyes move beneath their lids. She’s dreaming about something, and when she rolls over in her sleep, Harley untangles herself from her arms.

She’ll make it up to her later, somehow, but now she just has to go. She loves her Puddin', and he loves her back, and Ivy’s kidding herself if she thinks Harley could ever love her like that too.

She knows, even as she’s slipping out of the door, that the only person she’s lying to is herself.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't like this one as much as Wrath, but I wanted to do more Harley exploration and this has been sitting in my drive for mooonths and I kinda just wanted it to be gone so um yea here you go~


End file.
